Apple stops signing older code following iOS 11.2.6 release

Apple on Friday stopped signing iOS 11.2.5 code following last week's release of iOS 11.2.6, a typical move designed to ensure iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch owners are running the latest, most secure version of the mobile operating system.

Screenshot via The Verge

Released last week Monday, iOS 11.2.6 includes a fix for a pesky rendering bug that would crash apps, and in some cases Springboard itself, when a particular Indian language character was displayed.

Discovered a week prior, the iOS flaw would render certain apps unusable when a user received a Telugu character. Communications apps including Apple's own Messages and Safari, as well as third-party software like Gmail, Outlook, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, were especially susceptible to the bug.

Apple regularly stops signing code in an effort to prevent users from installing old iOS versions. In addition to system security, restricted code signing helps ensure users have the most up-to-date firmware running on their iPhone, iPad and iPod.